April Fools

Temps in the mid 80's on the first day of April was no April Fool's joke and I've got a sunburn on my back to prove it! Jake and I took advantage of the nice day by visiting several parks. We started out in the A.M. going to Walnut Woods to walk on a nature trail and do some birding. Even though I am afraid of birds, I'm okay with looking at them through binoculars and can appreciate all the different kinds of birds there are out there. Some have such vibrant colors. I can only remember a few that we saw - a mallard duck, cardinal, robin, yellow-throated warbler, woodpecker, and a black-capped chickadee, I think. (Jake had to identify all of them besides the robin and cardinal :) ) Next stop was the Maffitt Reservoir and then onto Lake Ahquabi for another nature trail (hardly any birds to be spotted there) and we ended the day with a picnic, consisting of grilled chicken, chips & guacamole, strawberries and blackberries, and oreos. And before heading back to Des Moines, I requested a tour of Simpson College and Jake obliged. I'd never been there before so it was fun to see where he and some of my good friends spent their college years. Definitely a fun day!